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Sleepy John Estes: On The Chicago Blues Scene
ByBy the time this was recorded, of course, things had moved on apace from when Estes was first recorded for posterity, and the likes of Sunnyland Slim and Jimmy Dawkins, both of whom accompany him here, were steeped in the definitive urban blues of Chicago. The fact that there's such a high degree of empathy between leader and sidemen, however, suggests the change might not have been so great. The likes of "Drop Down Mama yield performances that are more than spirited, and whilst the listener is never in any doubt that Estes the vocalist is past his prime, the buoyancy of the music is emblematic of something both greater and deeper.
On the likes of "Divin' Duck Blues, Dawkins proves himself to be one of those guitarists for whom economy is a watchword for musical communication, and even when Estes peddles the old cliché about the sun shining in his back door someday, it sounds like the promise of something good as opposed to a falling back upon the tried and trusted.
The cracks in Estes' voice might put some off, but when they're notable on "Everybody Oughta Make A Change the recently deceased Carey Bell puts things right with his expressive harmonica.
"Need More Blues is the only track common to both this one and the referenced Arhoolie title, and its treatment here is arguably the better of the two, not least because Estes' vocal shortcomings lend it a certain charm derived from his defiance of the ravages of time. Sunnyland Slim's piano work in this instance is both rolling and resonant enough to suggest he might have been undervalued, or at least taken for granted by blues scholars.
Whilst there are better examples of the trumping of time passing when it comes to old country bluesmen caught on record late in life, this one is such a positive affirmation of life itself that raising the issue is churlish. The music has an uplifting quality that's certainly not thick on the ground in the present day.
Track Listing
I Ain't Gonna Sell It; Laura Had A Dream; Divin' Duck Blues; Walking Down Beale Street; Everybody Oughta Make A Change; Need More Blues; Drop Down Mama; Airplane Blues; How To Sing These Blues; Sweet Little Flower; May West; Easin' Back to Tennessee; Newport Blues.
Personnel
Sleepy John Estes
guitar, acousticSleepy John Estes: vocal, rhythm guitar; Jimmy Dawkins: guitar; Sunnyland Slim: piano; Carey Bell: harmonica and bass (2, 4); Earl Hooker: bass (3, 9, 11, 13); Joe Harper: bass (1, 5-8, 10, 12); Odie Payne Jr.: drums.
Album information
Title: On The Chicago Blues Scene | Year Released: 2007 | Record Label: Delmark Records
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About Sleepy John Estes
Instrument: Guitar, acoustic
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